Poets first began to sing the praises of kimchi about 3,000 years ago. Frequently fermented, usually spicy, kimchi is served daily with meals in Korea, as a side dish, in stews, mixed with rice. Two years ago, when heavy rains damaged the Korean cabbage crop, one of the most common kimchi ingredients, the popular press labeled it a national tragedy.

Chef Un-Hui Filomeno makes kimchi with the assurance of someone who understands this ancient marvel so well that she can add her own imprint without fear of reprisal. Her new Albany restaurant, Mingle, is the kind of exotic bistro whose trendiness comes not from a marketing "concept," but from the sophisticated, confident, borderless melding Filomeno brings to the foods she likes.

Mingle avoids the use of the tired label "fusion," opting instead for words like "mixed," "blended," "united" and "diverse." The tagline on the logo is "food for thought," but the food doesn't feel overanalyzed or require a degree in foodihood to comprehend.

In Filomeno's deft hands, the mixing of food idioms feels unlabored, natural and fun. Her foods are bold, adventurous and yet comforting. The portions are ample but not grotesque, the presentations artful but not precious.

Personality: (★★★): Great food, comfortable room, with a staff trying to find the balance between friendly and nerve-wrackingly attentive.

Overall rating: ★★★

Filomeno and her son, Jose, opened Mingle in December in the building that briefly housed Wine 'n' Diner, which lost its lease in June as the building changed hands. The space feels softer visually and acoustically since the last incarnation, with new carpet, curtains, tablecloths and recessed lighting.

Filomeno first developed a following working at the Ginger Man, then operated Avenue A, first on New Scotland Avenue, later in the same Delaware Avenue space where Mingle is now. After Avenue A closed, she helped open Sage Bistro in Guilderland from October 2010 to March 2011.

Certain dishes appear on the menu wherever Filomeno cooks, such as caldo verde — a soup of pureed potatoes, spicy Portuguese chorizo and kale — and balsamic-marinated lamb with shiitake mushrooms. Her five-cheese lobster mac ($26) was so rich and hearty there were leftovers even after four adults ate as much as they could.

Gochujang, a pungent fermented soybean and red chile condiment, added Korean fire to vegetarian corn tacos ($9 for two). The tacos were brightened with spiced yogurt and apple-radish kimchi. Pan-fried yaki mandu ($8) were crisp fried dumplings stuffed with soy bean sprouts, ricotta cheese, Napa cabbage and chicken, served with mild soy-miso sauce sweetened with honey. Korean pancakes ($11) were a marvel, with tasty bits of squash, shrimp and carrots tucked between the crispy layers. The sesame-marinated beef sirloin in the bulgogi ($23) was so meltingly tender we nearly forgot to wrap the delicate strips in the lettuce leaves with sticky rice and radish kimchi.

The menu dabbles in several food traditions. Paella, caponata, chicken Valdostana and Shrimp Angela, with artichoke hearts and brandy marinara over fettuccine, nod to the Mediterranean. Chicken Jambalaya incorporates portobellos and shiitakes. Korean mashed potatoes renew French steak au poivre and American meatloaf. A neighbor at the bar feasted on fat jerk-spiced chicken wings. Broiled salmon with crab and a grainy mustard cream sauce salutes Yankee stalwartness, cioppino to West Coast ingenuity.

The wine and beer selection was brief, interesting and well-priced, with no mutts.

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A reservation is a good idea, especially on weekends. Without one, we were almost turned away early on a Saturday night.